Android X: The Complete Series

When two equally intelligent androids face off against each other, who wins? The year is 2300. Humans and androids live in peace after a devastating singularity and years of war. Xandifer Crenshaw is a special agent android for the United Earth Alliance. His job is to track down rogue androids and destroy them to keep the world safe. When another android agent goes maverick and starts a killing spree, the fallout could shatter the alliance between humans and androids forever.

Who's this book for, anyway?

I have no idea who the target audience is for this book. After hearing the cartoon-ish voices, ridiculous technology, and the author's decision to sub..Show More »stitute a swear word with "you know what," I assumed this was a YA book. But, it seems a little violent for that, in terms of a large number of civilian deaths. The writing style is just not very good. Also, did you have to name a robot Smoochies? Come on...

Android Paradox: Android X, Book 1

The year is 2300. Humans and androids live in peace after a devastating singularity and years of war. Xandifer "X" Crenshaw is a special agent android for the United Earth Alliance. His job is to track down rogue androids and destroy them to keep the world safe. When another android agent goes maverick and starts a killing spree, the fallout could shatter the alliance between humans and androids forever. X hunts him down, but what seems like a simple operation turns weird fast when X discovers that he's up against something far more sinister.

Go for it! This One's Worth a Cash Purchase!

When I first saw this book here at Audible, I thought, "Here's one that's right up my alley," but I didn't get it because it is so short. I wa..Show More »s hesitant to spend cash on a book by an author who was a complete unknown to me, and it's so inexpensive that it's better to go for cash than use a credit. I should have gone for it: It's a fantastic listen!

To give you an idea of how my tastes run, I love John Scalzi's and Robert Sawyer's books. I love mysteries as well as sci-fi, so when the two come together, I'm in reading heaven. (I really liked Red Planet Blues.) I'm not looking for paradigm shattering literature every time I read. Sometimes I just want some fun escape, and this book delivers that spectacularly.

I'm not going to go into any plot because you can find that out plenty of places, and I hate spoilers. As expected for a short book, Android Paradox jumps right into things, but I did not have trouble following it at the beginning. There were some times that I felt some plot points needed more development because I found myself getting a bit lost once or twice, but never to the point that my enjoyment of the book was ruined, just a "whaaaa?" moment or two, which is what the one missing star was deducted for.

I found the lead characters very well developed and exceptionally well performed by Erik Johnson. His reading was, indeed, a performance and not just a simple reading. He even did a good job with female voices, which is often a challenge for male readers. I loved the lead character; LaRonn made him very easy to root for, ironically very human in spite of the fact he is an android. Although I did see the end coming before I got there, it wasn't a foregone conclusion from the beginning. I actually think it's a positive that as a reader I was able to solve the mystery.

I'm going to be looking for more read by Erik Johnson and definitely getting the sequel to this as soon as I finish this review!

Note: I received this audiobook for free from the author via Audiobook Blast in exchange for an honest review. I pulled no punches! (And I'm spending cash for the next book in the series if you're in doubt!)

Android Deception: Android X Book 2

Picking up just days after the end of Android Paradox, X and Shortcut are back, and so is their highly intelligent foe. This time, the entire city is the battleground. A struggle for the security of the world begins, filled with androids, crazy fights, quirky technology, and action that will keep you guessing.

A worthy number two indeed!

Book 2 in the Android X series is a very worthy follower to book 1.

We get some more background details about the world as a whole, while we..Show More » follow X and Shortcut around in their hunt for Jeanette Crenshaw and her androids. X gets his memory chip back, and discover some interesting facts.

I won't spoil the story, but instead recommend that you listen - or read - it yourself. It's such a rich and exciting world. The characters are great, they're flawed and wonderfully human - even the androids ;)

I really like how realistic the author has made this book. He makes the futuristic parts sound very natural, while also exciting. Who wouldn't love to have nano bots riding around their body, discovering you have cancer and take care of that while you're sleeping, just to take one example? So many small notes about things like that, dotted throughout the book. Very clever.

We get a big chunk of backstory for the world very nicely woven into the story itself. A great way to integrate it, since it is shown to us through a futuristic museum, and not some awkward conversation about things that both characters already know (which is seen over and over again in a lot of tv shows). Kudos for handling that so well!

I truly enjoyed every minute of this book, and I can't wait for the next one!

Good narration, although the voice of Shortcut is starting to annoy me a bit, but nothing major so far. The narrator does a good job for pacing along with the storyline.

Android Winter: Android X, Book 3

X and Shortcut pursue their foe to the Badlands, a desert area rampant with deadly android hunters. With no technology to protect them, they have to rely on an unlikely guide. If the bad guys find the secret to unlocking the frozen city of androids, goodbye world.

fast-paced sci-fi adventure

Android Winter (Android X Book 3) is the continuation of Michael LaRonn’s series of humans vs androids. Xandifer “X: Crenshaw and Shortcut are set to..Show More » rescue the day but not before encountering battles with other deadly android hunters in a barren desert area known as the Badlands. Throughout the series their assignment has been to track down rogue androids and destroy them. Now they are charged with keeping a deadly secret from the bad guys who want to rule the world after destroying it.

X, Shortcut and others are desperately trying to keep the secret armies of frozen androids from being released and used for nefarious reasons. From the beginning it has been believed that the future belongs to Humans and Androids. This is one future that may just not be as positive as one believes.

Each book is split into four hour lengths which make it appealing and easier to follow; one does not become lost.

LaRonn does an excellent job of character development and plot development. He vividly describes battles and the struggle of X very well. Each character is important to the overall story – there are no useless distracting ones.

All three books have flowed smoothly with no transition issues.

Erik Johnson does an excellent job for all the characters. His narration of the backstory tends to be a tad bit monotonous and a few action sequences which do not come across as exciting as they could but overall he did a great job.